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Dawn takes a short cut to the kitchens but has to put a stop to her footsteps as she hears two men conversing in low deep voices. A door she is about to pass is open partially but no light comes from it. All the curtains within must be drawn. She inches closer as the voices continue to murmur. She slips in and peeks around the corner. It is Gethin, but who is he speaking with? It most certainly is not Gavriel or Lord Kier. From her hiding place it would be difficult to spot her as she is enshrouded in shadows. Their eyes would have to be keen and know that someone was indeed watching them in order to spot her. Gethin shakes his head and gestures wildly with his hands.
The strange man tilts his head and raises his hand to stifle a yawn. This seems to infuriate Gethin but he holds his temper under control. She studies the man trying to figure out which warrior it could possibly be and why they would meet without Gavriel. The man's hair is an inky black and long enough to run fingers through but no longer. The man shifts and she catches a glimpse of his face. He has a very strong, masculine face with a chiselled jaw. The same jaw that now jumps slightly with impatience. His eyes are indescribably dark, no sign of a coloured iris from her viewpoint. His chest rises and falls, a sound of exasperation falling from his lips. Gethin carries on muttering but the man is clearly losing interest.
His eyes wander and she shrinks back against the wall as his eyes slide past. "Enough." His deep voice sounds out and Gethin is silenced. "I will see what I can find, until then keep your mouth shut." He orders in a voice that is clear he has never been disobeyed. "Leave." Gethin bites back a few choice words and thankfully leaves through the door on the opposite side of the room.
Dawn is about to slide back out the way she came when his voice is heard again. "I do not appreciate being watched." She freezes; surely he is referring to someone else who may have just come into the room. She peeks around the corner and jumps back in surprise. He stands before her, towering above her. He looks down with pitch black eyes, his head slightly tilted to the side. Her heart leaps into her throat and she shakes. His jaw line softens but only slightly. "You will not tell anyone what you have seen or heard. If I find out my description has crosses your lips, you will rue this day."
She blinks and he is gone. She steps into the room and looks around. Only the slight breeze from the now closed doors shows which way he went. She rubs her arms.
"Dawn?" She jumps and spins round, her blue eyes pale and wide as they dart to the source of her name. "You looked panicked, child. Is there something you need to speak about?" Dawn puts effort into slowing her rapidly beating heart but as she has always felt on edge around this woman, she fails to do so. Outwardly though, she produces a cool and calm exterior.
"Lady Aileen," Dawn sinks into a deep curtsey, bowing her head so she does have to meet those calculating eyes. Dawn steps forward, hoping that Lady Aileen will move out her way. She hopes that she will let her go with no further interrogation. Her hopes are dashed to pieces on the rocks. Lady Aileen stays rooted to the ground, one eyebrow rising in disbelief.
"Child," she calls her, demeaning Dawn as the woman she is. "Why did you look so panicked when I entered the room?" Her amber eyes narrow and Dawn bites down harshly on her tongue. Aileen looks around the darkened room. An expression passes her face that Dawn finds difficult to decipher until it turns to one of haughtiness. Her eyes fall back on Dawn. "Were you meeting someone here?"
"No, my Lady." Dawn pushes out the words, barely audible but Aileen hears them.
"I do not tolerate servants slacking while they should be working. If I find you in this situation again..."
"You can do nothing." Dawn interjects before the colour drains from her face. "I am not one of your servants. I am one of your daughter's friends and you have not found me in a situation even once." The words fall from her lips like vomit and she is unable to bite back even one.
Lady Aileen's face clouds over and Dawn is sure that she could easily kill her, there and then. She steps threateningly towards her. Dawn prepares to duck and scamper for the exit. A voice saves her. A voice has Lady Aileen straightening up with a pretty smile on her face; arms once outstretched falling to her sides. "Have you seen Gethin?" Gavriel's eyes flicker between the two woman and he hides a knowing smile. He holds his hand out for Dawn, "Come." He commands with a single word. She brushes past Lady Aileen, eyes downcast. She does not take his hand though. She simply stands by his side.
"No, I was looking for him until I came across Miss Dawn alone in a dark room." Her words are calculated and spiteful. Gavriel laughs and looks down at Dawn.
"She gets awful headaches, mother. Perhaps she should retire home or one of the guest rooms to sleep it off." Dawn tries not to blink at the lies coming from his mouth. She nods her head, grateful for an easy exit. She curtseys to both of them quickly and scurries from the room.
"That child has never once spoken back in all the years I have known her, something is giving her a new strength. Find out what it is and squash it."
"She is just a girl, mother. Irrelevant in all we have planned. Help me find Gethin; I need to speak with him. Father has foolishly invited Lord Wolfe and his wife into our home for dinner."
Once again, Lady Aileen's face clouds over and she purses her lips tightly. She taps her fingers against her legs as his words dawn on her. "His wife?" She repeats, after Gavriel, moments later. "Lord Wolfe and his wife? Who agreed to marry him and how were we not informed?"
"Lady Warrior Sparrow agreed to become his wife. She discovered who our spies were within their lands and did what she deemed necessary. We had no warning until they arrived here together." Gavriel reels off, giving the idea that these words have already left his mouth, multiple times.
"The war you want may just be within your grasp." She smiles at him icily.
○ ○ ○
"Logan." He does not open his eyes but sighs heavily. "Logan, please do not ignore me."
"I thought that I had made myself clear. You should not have come down here."
"I came for a reason." He turns and studies her face. She raises her eyebrows waiting for some kind of response. She glances nervously up the tunnel a second later. He stands and sways on his feet. His hand connects solidly with the wall, his palm pushing against it to stay upright. His head spins. He has not been fed yet today. He had not seen a single guard come down this way either. Maybe they had forgotten he was here.
His spinning head subsides slightly but he still uses the wall to get the bar. He kneels down by them, close to Dawn. A smile twitches on his lips when she remains where she is. She does not edge away as she had so many times before. Perhaps though, she is just lost in thought. Her eyes flickering up to meet his disprove that theory. "What reason is that?" He asks in a hushed tone, aware of her fear someone may hear them and come.
"Your brother is here..."
"Hunter?" He interrupts; his voice fairly hopeful. Dawn frowns.
"The one named Hunter is your brother?" She shakes her head, realising how pointless the question is. "No, your brother is Wolfe is here with Sparrow."
"Will Lord Kier allow them to see me?" He grasps onto the bars with urgency. Dawn presses her lips together, sadness visible in her eyes. "What do you know?"
"I overheard Lord Kier speaking to his council. He does not want to give Wolfe access to his prisons; he does not wish to let him see you. Sparrow has requested that you be brought up to them. He is wary to do so. I believe he will make Wolfe and Sparrow make a contract that they will not try to help you escape. Would they do that?"
"No, Wolfe would never even consider it but..." he sighs heavily, "Sparrow might. She would rather see me and know I am alive." He places his forehead against the bars and presses his eyes shut. "Did you bring food with you?"
Dawn smiles and pulls a small loaf of bread from the small bag hanging from her shoulder. His eyes spring open when the sweet smell hits his nostrils. She passes it through the bars and their fingers brush. She withdraws her hand quickly, trying to hide her discomfort with a fake smile. Logan reads the correct emotion though and his eyes drop. Even though this girl does not believe him to be a killer she still is repelled by the slightest of touches. "I should return, they may notice my absence. Can I trust them?"
Logan's dark green eyes flicker up to hers and he frowns. "Trust who?"
"Your brother and his wife; can I trust them to keep this secret?"
"My brother is trustworthy but I do not know his wife and you should avoid telling her secrets at all cost."
"Goodbye Logan." She jogs away, taking the light with her once again. Logan guides his way to his bed using the wall and slumps down on the hard mattress. He digs into the bread, the taste heavenly.
He savours every last morsel. Then he hears footsteps. A light appears. He brushes down his shirt, just in case any crumbs managed to escape. The warm light of a fiery torch floods into the cell. The figure is cloaked entirely in black, their face half covered by a long black cloth. Only eyes peer out. Logan frowns, finding the large figure strangely intimidating. He pushes himself to his feet; he will not show this discomfort. The figure laughs, a deep rich sound. A hand appears from beneath the dark fabric. Logan sees the glint of steal. The hand pulls down the cloth so their face is visible.
Logan laughs and leans back against the wall. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I heard that one of my foolish, naïve and can I say it? Honourable brother has gone and got himself in a situation which will result in death. How could I not come to watch?" He chuckles after his words, placing the torch in the structure attached to the stone wall. He studies the lock on the door, his face scrunching up in annoyance.
"Could you not sound so happy about it? Most people would find the idea of their sibling being executed horrifying." The man looks up and shakes his head in mock sympathy.
"Ah, now see that is the problem, I am not most people. Have you tried picking this lock yet?" He pulls out two small thin knives and starts to play. Logan rolls his eyes.
"Tell me, little brother, what exactly would I use to pick the lock?"
He pauses and glances up. "Sorry, I forgot. You as the good man you are would have given up all your weapons. Could you not have hidden something in your mouth after killing that man?"